Structural steel and aluminum beams are well known in the field of construction. They are often used for creating structural support in many buildings and transportation vehicles, such as train cars and transport trucks.
In many cases, the construction components need to be bent or curved so as to fit their intended use. Creating bends and curves in construction components, such as structural support beams, is known in the art, and is often done using a process known as stretch forming. Stretch forming involves creating a bend or curve in the component by stretching and pulling it into the desired form. Unfortunately, while stretch forming can provide the desired shape in the component, there are numerous deficiencies associated with this process.
A first deficiency with the stretch forming process is that it results in a finished component that has an inconsistent thickness. As a result, the stretch formed component experiences inconsistent fatigue along its surface area, leading to sometimes unpredictable performance. Therefore, in order to ensure adequate thickness throughout, it is necessary to overestimate the thickness of the raw material used in the stretch forming process such that no area of the stretch formed part is too thin. This creates an unnecessary excess of material, resulting in a waste of material, added material costs and excessive weight, thus rendering the component heavier, and more expensive than might be possible.
A further deficiency with the stretch forming process is that it requires specific equipment and expertise to do. The expensive and complicated machinery required for this process is not generally available in average workshops, such that this process cannot be carried out conveniently at any machine shop. Instead, in most cases, the stretch forming procedure needs to be outsourced to a facility with the appropriate equipment, which often increases the costs associated with producing the final component.
Yet another deficiency with the stretch forming process is that stretch forming equipment must clamp on a portion of the raw material in order to stretch it. The area that has been clamped is deformed as a result of the stretch and must therefore be discarded. Stretch forming thus results in practice in a significant waste of raw materials.
Yet another deficiency with stretch forming process is that in order to meet the minimum thickness requirements of the finished product, the process requires the use of a heavier gauge raw material (larger thickness and weight) resulting in increased cost of the finished product as well as increased weight. In cases, such as in transportation vehicle manufacturing, such weight increases may result in a higher un-laden vehicle weight resulting in increased cost of vehicle certification. Worst case, such increased weight may render the vehicle unsuitable for use in certain projects.
In the context of the above, it can be appreciated that there is a need in the industry for an improved component and process of manufacturing the same, that alleviates, at least in part, the deficiencies associated with existing construction components and their manufacturing processes.